Electric cars 2018 – Best cars you can buy including Jaguar I-PACE, Hyundai Ioniq and more | Cars | Life & Style

JAGUAR I-PACE

IN terms of sheer sales, there is no question Jaguar’s new E-Pace will be one of the Coventry firm’s biggest success stories in 2018.

However it is this new I-Pace that is likely to hog most of the headlines as Jaguar’s first-ever electric car.

Two electric motors, front and rear, give it four-wheel drive and an incredible 400bhp that will deliver a 0 to 60mph time of about 4.0 seconds.

The two biggest concerns with any electric car are range and charging time but early indications are the I-Pace performs well with its 90kwh battery giving a 310-mile range.

A full charge can be obtained in little more than two hours at a standard charging point with 80 per cent possible in just 90 minutes.

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Hyundai’s Ioniq Plug-In is a great little car

We have been big fans of the Hyundai Ioniq since it was introduced in 2016 and this plug-in hybrid has now joined the existing electric and hybrid Ioniq models.

Tony Allen

HYUNDAI IONIQ PLUG-IN

Price: £27,495

THE all-electric and plug-in hybrid market is guaranteed to explode with new models between now and 2020, so really this is just the start.

We have been big fans of the Hyundai Ioniq since it was introduced in 2016 and this plug-in hybrid has now joined the existing electric and hybrid Ioniq models.

It gets a 39-mile electric-only range with a 1.6-litre petrol engine also on board to ensure you are never left stranded.

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A potential 660-mile total range is plenty for most and those 39 miles should satisfy most commuters.

Together, the electric and petrol power give the Ioniq the equivalent of 141bhp and a 0 to 60mph time of 10.6 seconds.

You are unlikely to get near the claimed 256.8mpg average fuel economy but we still managed 96.6mpg when we drove the car.

It may cost £3,500 more than the standard hybrid but we think it is well worth it.

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The BMW i3 has become even more desirable

BMW i3

Price: £34,070

WITH more than 8,000 cars sold in the UK since its introduction, BMW’s i3 is the biggest-selling electric car in its class.

These latest tweaks should make it even more desirable too with a host of improvements inside and a new sportier S model.

This latest i3S gets a more powerful electric motor giving it a 0 to 60mph time of 6.9 seconds and also lowered suspension with 20in-alloy wheels for improved handling.

As before, both the standard i3 and the new i3S get the option of standard all-electric form or with a small petrol engine as a range extender costing an extra £3,150.

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RENAULT ZOE

Price: from £18,745

THE previous Renault Zoe electric supermini was the best-selling electric car in Europe and there is no reason to think this refreshed version should not continue that record.

An extended range of up to 186 miles on a full charge makes it much more usable than before.

Renault estimates that an average household’s 10,000-mile per year total mileage could cost as little as £200, although there is always the extra monthly battery hire charge (from £49 per month or £59 for the newer ZE40 model) to consider.

We like the Zoe and as a household’s second car there is a lot to recommend it for embracing electric motoring.

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The Nissan Leaf is a perennial electric favourite

NISSAN LEAF

Price: from £21,990

THERE is no question hybrid and fully electric vehicles are our motoring future and Nissan’s Leaf was here before most of them.

The all-electric family hatchback has certainly been a success, being the world’s most popular electric vehicle but this second-generation model is a welcome new arrival.

With a longer 235-mile range on a full charge, this new Leaf will be a lot more usable and is much easier on the eye.

It also drives better with a Pro-Pilot semi-autonomous driving assistance system and a new e-pedal switch that increases the level of regenerative braking and enables you to drive the Leaf purely by using the throttle pedal.

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The Range Rover P400E can even climb stairs — racer Ho Pin Tung drove it to Heaven’s Gate in Chin

RANGE ROVER P400E

Price: from £86,965

A RANGE ROVER? In a feature about eco-friendly cars?

It is no mistake – this is the new Range Rover P400e plug-in hybrid, on sale next month.

Replacing the old non plug-in hybrid, the technology will also be available in the Range Rover Sport, combining a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with an 85kW electric motor.

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That is enough to give it a 0 to 60mph time of just 6.4 seconds making it the second-fastest Range Rover.

There is also 64g/km emissions and a 31-mile all-electric range. As always with plug-in hybrids, the claimed 101mpg average fuel economy is all but irrelevant due to the testing procedures.

Business drivers are sure to like the company car tax implications and all of the usual Range Rover luxuries make a desirable car even more so.